Elvis Presley (1935-1977) is famously known as the King of Rock-and-Roll as he won the hearts of millions of fans around the world. To this day, many people still listen to and thoroughly enjoy his music. Even after his unexpected death in 1977, many fans still adore him and admire the legacy he left behind.
With the upcoming release of Elvis on June 24th, the biopic about the King of Rock-and-Roll and his life, Scholarship Institute was curious about which songs have become the most popular over the years. Our analysts conducted research on the most popular Elvis Presley songs of all time, then crunched the numbers to find out which of his songs is the favorite in each state. Find out which Elvis Presley song is your state’s favorite below!
Interesting Facts & Findings
- Elvis didn’t write any of the songs he recorded and performed
- “In the Ghetto” was the most popular song in the nation—it was the favorite in 11 states
- Elvis was 22 when he purchased Graceland, for which he paid $100,000
- There were five songs that came up as the least favorite in the United States, all of which were the favorite in only one state each
- “Always On My Mind”
- “If I Can Dream”
- “Blue Suede Shoes”
- “All Shook Up”
- “Don’t Be Cruel”
- 14 of Elvis’s songs reached #1 on the Billboard singles chart
Popular Elvis Presley Songs
While Elvis Presley had plenty of hits that most people would recognize today, here are some of his most popular songs of all time and which states rank them as their favorites.
In the Ghetto
“In the Ghetto” is a 1969 song recorded by Elvis Presley. It was a major hit as a part of Presley’s comeback album.
Listen to and learn more about “In the Ghetto” here.
States where “In the Ghetto” is the favorite:
- New Hampshire
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- South Dakota
- North Dakota
- Wyoming
- Idaho
Burning Love
“Burning Love” was originally released by Arthur Alexander in 1972 and was recorded by Elvis Presley later in 1972. It was Presley’s biggest hit single in the United States since “Suspicious Minds” in 1969, and it was his last Top 10 hit on the American Hot 100 or pop charts.
Check out more about the song here.
States where “Burning Love” is the favorite:
- Hawaii
- New York
- Indiana
- Mississippi
- Kansas
- Oregon
Love Me Tender
“Love Me Tender” was recorded and co-written by Elvis Presley in 1956 as a ballad. It was released as a single and was published by Elvis Presley Music from the 20th Century Fox film of the same name.
Listen to and learn more about “Love Me Tender” here.
States where “Love Me Tender” is the favorite:
- Maryland
- Wisconsin
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- Colorado
- Arizona
Suspicious Minds
“Suspicious Minds” was initially written and recorded in 1968 by Mark James. After this recording failed commercially, it was cut and rerecorded by Elvis Presley, becoming a number one song in 1969, and one of the most memorable hits of Presley’s career.
Listen to and learn more about “Suspicious Minds” here.
States where “Suspicious Minds” is the favorite:
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- Iowa
- Oklahoma
- New Mexico
Heartbreak Hotel
“Heartbreak Hotel” was released as a single in 1956 and was recorded by Elvis Presley and was his first single with his new record label, RCA Victor.
Check out more about the song here.
States where “Heartbreak Hotel” is the favorite:
- Virginia
- Ohio
- North Carolina
- Georgia
- Michigan
Can’t Help Falling in Love
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” is a song recorded by Elvis Presley for his 1961 album, Blue Hawaii, and it also appeared in his movie with the same name. It was listed as one of the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone.
Check out more about the song here.
States where “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is the favorite:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Montana
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
It’s Now or Never
“It’s Now or Never” was recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single in 1960. The song is one of the best-selling singles by Elvis and one of the best-selling physical singles of all time.
Listen to and learn more about “It’s Now or Never” here.
States where “It’s Now or Never” is the favorite:
- New Jersey
- Florida
- Illinois
- Texas
Jailhouse Rock
“Jailhouse Rock” is a song recorded by Elvis Presley for the film of the same name. The song has been recognized by the Grammy Hall of Fame, the American Film Institute, and others.
Listen to and learn more about “Jailhouse Rock” here.
States where “Jailhouse Rock” is the favorite:
- Nebraska
- Utah
Hound Dog
“Hound Dog” was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952 and was re-recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956. The song has been re-recorded more than 250, with Presley’s version being the most well-known. It has been featured in numerous films and has been at the center of controversies and several lawsuits, including disputes over authorship, royalties, and copyright infringement.
Check out more about the song here.
States where “Hound Dog” is the favorite:
- West Virginia
- Arkansas
Always On My Mind
“Always on My Mind” is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee, Gwen McCrae, and Elvis Presley, and first released by McCrae (as “You Were Always on My Mind”) in 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories.
Check out more about the song here.
State where “Always On My Mind” is the favorite:
- Pennsylvania
If I Can Dream
“If I Can Dream” is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, notable for its similarities with Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. The song was published by Elvis Presley’s music publishing company Gladys Music, Inc. Presley recorded it in June 1968, just two months after King’s assassination. The recording was first released to the public as the finale of Presley’s ’68 Comeback Special.
Listen to and learn more about “If I Can Dream” here.
State where “If I Can Dream” is the favorite:
- California
Blue Suede Shoes
“Blue Suede Shoes” was written and recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955. One year later, in 1956, Elvis Presley recorded his version of the song, and it appeared on his debut album entitled Elvis Presley.
Listen to and learn more about “Blue Suede Shoes” here.
State where “Blue Suede Shoes” is the favorite:
- Kentucky
All Shook Up
“All Shook Up” was recorded and released in 1957 by Elvis Presley. The single topped the U.S. Billboard Top 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for eight weeks. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart for four weeks, becoming Presley’s second single to do so, and peaked at number one on the country chart as well.
Check out more about the song here.
State where “All Shook Up” is the favorite:
- Nevada
Don’t Be Cruel
“Don’t Be Cruel” was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1956. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is currently ranked as the 173rd greatest song of all time, as well as the sixth-best song of 1956, by Acclaimed Music.
Listen to and learn more about “Don’t Be Cruel” here.
State where “Don’t Be Cruel” is the favorite:
- Washington
Methodology
We looked at popular Elvis Presley songs and analyzed their Google Trends relative search volume between May 2021 – May 2022 to determine each state’s favorite.
| State | Favorite Elvis Presley Song |
| Alabama | Can’t Help Falling in Love |
| Alaska | Can’t Help Falling in Love |
| Arizona | Love Me Tender |
| Arkansas | Hound Dog |
| California | If I Can Dream |
| Colorado | Love Me Tender |
| Connecticut | In the Ghetto |
| Delaware | In the Ghetto |
| District of Columbia | In the Ghetto |
| Florida | It’s Now or Never |
| Georgia | Heartbreak Hotel |
| Hawaii | Burning Love |
| Idaho | In the Ghetto |
| Illinois | It’s Now or Never |
| Indiana | Burning Love |
| Iowa | Suspicious Minds |
| Kansas | Burning Love |
| Kentucky | Blue Suede Shoes |
| Louisiana | In the Ghetto |
| Maine | In the Ghetto |
| Maryland | Love Me Tender |
| Massachusetts | Suspicious Minds |
| Michigan | Heartbreak Hotel |
| Minnesota | In the Ghetto |
| Mississippi | Burning Love |
| Missouri | Suspicious Minds |
| Montana | Can’t Help Falling in Love |
| Nebraska | Jailhouse Rock |
| Nevada | All Shook Up |
| New Hampshire | In the Ghetto |
| New Jersey | It’s Now or Never |
| New Mexico | Suspicious Minds |
| New York | Burning Love |
| North Carolina | Heartbreak Hotel |
| North Dakota | In the Ghetto |
| Ohio | Heartbreak Hotel |
| Oklahoma | Suspicious Minds |
| Oregon | Burning Love |
| Pennsylvania | Always on My Mind |
| Rhode Island | Can’t Help Falling in Love |
| South Carolina | Love Me Tender |
| South Dakota | In the Ghetto |
| Tennessee | Love Me Tender |
| Texas | It’s Now or Never |
| Utah | Jailhouse Rock |
| Vermont | Can’t Help Falling in Love |
| Virginia | Heartbreak Hotel |
| Washington | Don’t Be Cruel |
| West Virginia | Hound Dog |
| Wisconsin | Love Me Tender |
| Wyoming | In the Ghetto |
